Dry concentrator table



May 12, 1942. c. M, FULLER DRY CONCENTRATOR TABLE Filed Dec. 4, lgs 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOA Charles M Fuller Q .,*lmgc ATTORNEY l May 12, 1942. c. M. FULLER DRY CONCENTRATOR TABLE Filed Deo. 4, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m INVENTOR Charles M Fuller A TTORNEY removed. v

Patented May 12, 1942 Charles M. Fuue, Lodi, Calif., assign@ to I E. D. Wilkinson, Stockton, Calif. s

Application December 4, 1939, serial N 307,464

2 Claims.

sition, or replace them as becomes necessary' with their deterioration or stretching following a period of use.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to so construct the table that the strips may be easily and quickly mounted in posi tion either during manufacture or when subsequently making replacements. s

A further object is to simplify the mounting of the riie bars which cooperate with the fabriccovered passage members, and in general to sim- Yplify and lessen the cost of the .operations incidental to the manufacture of the table.

Still another object is to arrange the rillle bars so that instead of being all operated simultaneously to discharge the concentrates, as was previously the case,` they are now connected in separate banks or sets for independent operation. Also, each bar of a bank is arranged for-individual adjustment relative to the bottom strip with which it cooperates, Without affecting the simultaneous operation of all the bars in the bank when desired.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement .of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specication and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved trol valve, and with the near side plate removed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, with the adjacent riiile bar Figure 3 is a similar view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-section on line 4 4 of Fig'. 2.v Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged cross section on line 5 5 of Fig. l.

from one end. .At its high end, the tunnel I is lianged as at 2 for supporting engagement with the casing 3 of a rotary valve, which, as in the aforementioned patent, intermittently and alternately establishes communication between an gair suction conduit 4 and an air pressure conduit 5 disposed respectively above and below the casing. f

The top surface of the tunnel I is flat, and supported on and upstanding from said surface is a lll-plurality of separate members yI forming rilile A wind-ports of rectangular form in plan, and disposed transversely of the tunnel in spaced relation lengthwise thereof. The members 6 are freely open both at top and bottom, and at the v115:;top are considerably longer, transversely of the tunnel, than the width of the tunnel itself, and with `which they individually f communicate through openings 'I in the top surface of the tunnel. The `members 6 are relatively narrow zoglengthwise of the tunnel, and they are spaced apart somewhat less than their ywidth so as to leave open discharge'passages 8 therebetween. The top edges of all the members are in a plane parallel to the top of the tunnel. g

Y In order to removably secure the members 6 on the tunnel, the latter is flanged on the sides at the top as at 9, to receive c ap screws I0 from below, and which screw into the members 6 at the base thereof as shown. The bottom .of the members-6 slopes upwardly from the flanging on both sides, so that the cap screws are readily accessible for removal or placement from either side. The opposed end portions of the members 6, above said'slope, are fiat and vertical-and are qglatly engaged by upstanding side plates I I which together withv a hinged lid I2 form an enclosure y for the top of the table. The members are removably secured together in connection with said side .platesby cap screws I3 projecting'through 4Q the plates andinto the adjacent walls of mem- I bers 6 some distance below their upper edge. Each member 6 is covered by a strip of tensioned fabric I 4, which is folded down outside the memthe straps. The fabric strip, along the ends of the member, is also clamped against the same by SQr `vmetal straps I1 held in place by screws I8'and straps I5, but are entirely countersunk'therein yg-as plainly shown, so as not to interfere with the desired 'close contact .of the side plates with saidl` members Al5. The straps' `I'I, as well as the straps I5, and the adjacent clamping surfaces of the member 6, are provided with a rib and groove arrangement !9, extending from en@ GQ @Qd Of the,

disposedv above cap screws I3. -These straps, I however, do not project outwardly of the sideplate engaging faces of the member, as do the The members 6 are set too close together for the placing of an ordinary screwdriver therebetween to manipulate screws I6, while screws I8 are normally entirely inaccessible. However, merely by removing a pair of cap screws I and a pair of cap screws I3, the correspondingmember 6 may be easilylifted .out without disturbingthe other members, and removal of the'various strap screws and rev lacement of the fabric IU is then a simple mat er. as will be obvious.

Disposedabove and normallyr substantially closing the various passages 8 ori top are' the riiile bars 20, which is in said patent cooperate with the straps l of the members 6. rear or relatively low point, the bars are formedY with end cheeks 2l tapped to receive the threaded portion of shouldered c'ap screws 22. turnably' supported in the side plates Il'. Upon removal of the two cap screws therefor, any riie bar may be lifted out from between the side plates.

Secured on and upstanding from the riiile bars are arms 23. A bar 24 extending lengthwise of the table is associated with a certain number of the arms from the feed end of the table, while a similar bar 25 is associated with the remainder of the riiie bars. Each bar is spring pulled in the' direction of the feed or upper end of the table, and the bars normally abut stop elements 26 limiting the spring pulling action. The lowermost or rearmost arm 23a of the banks o`r Setsv of riie bars are extended upwardly as shown, to form operating handles. n

Each arm is connected to the corresponding bar by a shouldered bolt 2T turnable in said arm and slidably projecting through a longitudinal slot 28 in the bar; the bolt being clamped against movement from any desired position along the slot by a wing or other clamping nut 29 on the bolt. It will thus be see'n that any riflie bar may be set to provide any normal desired relationship with the cooperating strap I5, without affecting the relationship of the other riiile bars with the corresponding straps.

The reason for connecting the riiiie bars in separate sets is that concentration takes place rapidly at the feed in or upper portion of the table, and it is necessary or desirable to frequently allow'the same todischarge into passages 8 to prevent clogging of the riflies. On the lower portion of the table, however, concentration is effected more slowly, since the bulk of the material being acted on has already been discarded, and it is therefore advantageous to leave thismaterial on the table for a longer time to cut down to the minimum the possibility of any such worthless material being discharged into passages 8 to mix with the concentrates.

The material to be concentrated is fed onto the table from a hopper 30 above the vacuum conduit 4 as before, an apron 3| leading direct from the hopper to the fabric cover of the topmost member 6.

The concentrates as they accumulate are discharged at intervals fromV the table through passages 8 by lifting of the rife bars; the con- At theirV centrates falling to the sides of the tunnel and being received as before in a suitable chute or container not here shown.

At the discharge or lower end of the tunnel, the discarded material passes over the lowermost riflie bar and into a tailings chute 32, the front side of which above the table is formed by a back plate 33 and cooperating with said rifile bar to provide a partition between the tailings chute andthe adjacent concentrates passage 8.

While I have above described fabric as being the table top material, fine wire screen or cloth, pervious membrane or other suitable pervious material may be used instead, if so desired.

From the foregoing `description it will be readily seen that I have vproduced such a device as substantially fuliills the objects of the invention as set forth'` herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device', still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resortedV to as do not form a departure from the spirit" of the invention, as deiined by the appended claims'.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claimas new andi-useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:V

1. In a dry concentrating table, a plurality of individually removable transversely disposed table-top forming members arranged in a row in spaced relation lengthwise of the table to provide concentrates discharge passages therebetween, rile bars above the'members normally substantially closing the passages` at the top and overhanging the adjacent portion of the members, means pivoting'the bars for upward movement to open the passages, said'pivoting means including, with upstanding plates forming the sides of the table and between which the bars extend for the full distance therebetween, pivot elements projecting through and supported by the plates and removable therefrom from' the outside; said elements at their inner end removably engaging in the ends of the bars.

2. In a dryconcentratinggtable, a plurality of transversely disposed table-top forming members arranged in a row in spaced relation lengthwise of the table to provide concentrates discharge passages therebetweemriflle bars above the members normally substantially closing the passages at the top, means pivoting the bars for upward movement to open the passages, arms connected to the bars in substantially radial relation to their axis ofA rotation, an operating bar extending lengthwise of the `table and overlapping all said arms adjacent their outer end and means individually securing the arms on said operating bar for adjusting movement along the same; said securing means each comprising, with a longitudinal slot in the bar, a bolt projecting the arm and slot, a head on the bolt engaging the arm on the side thereof opposite the bar, a shoulder on the bolt engaging the side of the bar nearestthe arm and a `clamping nut on the bolt to clamp the bar between the nut and shoulder; the length of the bolt from the head to the shoulder being greater than the thickness of the arm to prevent the latter being clamped against the bar and allowing of relative rotation of the bolt in the arm. Y

CHARLES M. FULLER. 

